In its May 2005 issue Inc. magazine ranked 274 population centers for their job creation and other signs of growing commerce. Among the upper ranks they found businesses thriving. Among the lower ranks, they didn’t.

There are some new stars on the map. As Inc. put it, “The new economy didn’t disappear. It changed addresses.”

At the top of the 274–place heap is Reno (NV), and following in the top 10 are Boise (ID), Casper (WY), Green Bay (WI), and Medford (OR), Riverside–San Bernadino (CA), Melbourne– Titusville–Palm Bay (FL), Missoula (MT), Fort Myers– Cape Coral (FL), and Jacksonville (FL).

At the bottom, number 274, is Muncie (IN). Rising above Muncie are Lansing–East Lansing (MI), Sharon (PA), Flint (MI), Jackson (MI), Lawton (OK), Danville (VA), Sherman– Denison (TX), Columbia (SC), and Philadelphia (PA).

Columbia is ninth from the bottom, number 266 out of a total 274, hovering down around the last 3%. Next week in The Columbia Star , we will explore the possible reasons for Inc. magazine’s ranking.